//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - The Telltale Tummy // Story: Halfling // by Dee Pad //------------------------------// Halfling By Dee Pad ===================================================================== Chapter 2: The Telltale Tummy ===================================================================== Shade stretched out his legs, letting out a long, relaxed moan as he did. The moan became a placid sigh as he brought his legs back in, pulling the covers of his bed closer to his neck. He wasn't bothered at all by the sunlight piercing through his curtains, or the chirping of the birds outside. He was at peace, feeling comfort beyond belief. What was different about this morning compared to any other? Who could tell? Shade was simply cozy, and that was that. Technically, Shade was awake. He was conscious and aware that it was morning, but that didn't stop him from trying to catch just a few more Z's. It felt like the sort of day where you could just lay in bed and still feel like your time was well spent. He had the day off from work, he had no lessons with Twilight to attend, he didn't have any plans whatsoever. So what was wrong with just lazing about all day? In his mind, absolutely nothing. Shade rolled onto his left side, facing the bedroom window, but refusing to open his eyes and have his serenity interrupted. He let half his face sink into his plush pillow, welcoming it's warm embrace. But just when he thought he couldn't get any more comfortable, he was corrected. The changeling felt a hoof wrap around his torso from behind, a soft, furry body pulling up against his back. Shade placed an ebony hoof over the ivory one that was draped over his body, holding it tenderly and smiling blissfully as he rested. He was never going to get tired of this. Sharing a bed with somepony you love so deeply is something that most changelings didn't even bother to dream of. Sucks for them, he thought; they didn't know what they were missing. Winter nuzzled lovingly into the back of Shade's neck, moaning cutely in her sleep. Although Shade would consider this moment the epitome of comfort, if he could ask for one thing right now, it would be to see Winter's face. However, he was afraid to move and risk compromising their comfort. Besides, he could practically feel her smiling against his neck. Seeing it wasn't really entirely necessary. But of course, as with all good things, this moment had to come to an end at some point. Shade knew that Winter was awake when he felt her lips against his neck, kissing him lightly. In response, he held her hoof tighter. "You seem comfy," Winter commented quietly, leaning over him. Shade could only reply with a satisfied, "Mm-hm." Winter rolled the changeling over onto his back, making him finally open his eyes and giving him a clear view of the beautiful mare just inches from his face. The pegasus closed the gap, planting a kiss on his fanged lips. When she pulled away, she stared deeply into his emerald eyes. Despite the fact that it was nearly noon, Shade still looked a little tired, though he never stopped smiling at her. He'd been working pretty hard at his job for the past few weeks, with long hours, very few breaks, and even having to work on his days off. But, finally, things had begun to slow down. His hours returned to normal, and today he was taking his first day off in three weeks. He deserved his rest. But perhaps he deserved a little more... Winter grinned down on him seductively, giving him another kiss, longer and more passionate. Shade placed his hoof against the back of her head, holding her against his lips as they shared in their loving embrace. Winter pulled away, pushing her un-brushed mane out of her face, and sat up. Still wearing her sultry smile, she lifted one leg over Shade, straddling him with her front hooves pressing down onto the pillow on either side of his head. On any other day, getting this kind of treatment from Winter in the morning would have been the best way to kick off the day. But today, something was... off. When Winter sat on Shade, he found himself suppressing a surprised, "Oomph," as though the weight upon him was more than he'd expected. This certainly wasn't the first time he'd been in this particular position, but for some reason, Winter felt heavier. Being a changeling, Shade had always been naturally lighter than even most female ponies, so the extra weight on top of him wasn't unexpected. It was just how much extra weight there was that surprised him. And Winter must have noticed that something was on his mind, as her smile had faded, making way for a curious raise of her eyebrow. "Shade? Something wrong?" "Huh? Uh..." How was he supposed to answer her without it sounding insulting? It's not that he was less attracted to her or anything, just confused. He began to wonder if it was just his mind playing tricks on him. "Nothing's wrong. I was just, um... thinking about something." Winter tilted her head. "Like what?" "I was... just thinking..." Shade glanced discreetly at the clock on the bedside table, seeing that it was already past noon. "...that we've kinda wasted enough daylight lying in bed. It'd be a shame to let a beautiful day like this go completely to waste, right?" Winter's coy grin returned. "But would you really consider this a waste of time?" she said, leaning in until her face was just an inch from his and pressing her whole, furry body down upon him. Shade grunted, a puff of air being forced out from his lungs when Winter applied her full weight against his chest. He tried to cover it up by forcing a smile. "Ha, of course not. But, uh... I'm a little hungry. Maybe a rain check?" Winter sat up again, unbeknownst of the relief Shade felt to have most of her weight lifted off of him. "Oh, okay. I guess I'm a little hungry, too," she admitted, though not without a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Do you want pancakes?" Shade offered. Winter smiled blissfully at the mere mention of it. "Mmm, that sounds great. With chocolate chips?" Shade slipped out from under her and got out of bed. "Sure." Winter followed him out into the hall like an excited filly. "Topped with ice cream?" "Uh, yeah, if we have any." "And extra syrup?" Shade looked over his shoulder at the mare, puzzled by her odd behavior. Just a moment ago she seemed disappointed. Now she was acting like this? "Whatever you want." Winter sidled up next to him with an eager giggle, nuzzling his neck. "Have I ever told you you make the best pancakes?" "I... don't think so." "Well, you do." "Okay. Thanks." Now he was even more confused. It was like she had completely forgotten what they were doing before. But maybe that was a good thing. He didn't want her to feel neglected. Maybe he should just focus on breakfast for now considering how happy Winter was about it, however baffling and inexplicable that was. ***** ***** ***** Shade was right, it is a nice day out today, Winter thought as she trotted through town, staring up at the pure, blue sky. She was starting to think that he was right about more than just that, too, like having wasted perfectly good daylight hours lying in bed. Although, she had still been looking forward to the alternative, and it certainly wasn't like Shade to turn her down like that. She had to wonder if something was on his mind. Or maybe he was starting to get suspicious... Winter knew she was just procrastinating at this point. It seemed like every time she told herself that she was just going to come out and tell him, something would come up that suddenly made it a bad time. Even she was starting to realize that she was just making up excuses, using every little thing as an out to avoid it. And she hated herself for it. Every day that passed by that she didn't talk to Shade about it made her feel worse and worse about herself as a person. And just thinking about it now was kind of ruining this beautiful day. She needed to talk to somepony to help her feel a little better, somepony that would give her the kick in the flank she needed to do what she knew was right. She needed to talk to Twilight. Winter hadn't really had a destination when she left the house, but now she found herself heading towards the library. She felt that Twilight was really the only one she could talk to about this, especially considering she was the only person who knew she was pregnant—aside from Princess Cadance, but that was neither here nor there. At the same time, though, Winter knew she wasn't going to get a simple pep talk and some sagely advice. Twilight had already said her piece on the situation and was adamant about Winter telling Shade as soon as possible. She probably wasn't going to be happy to learn she had yet to tell him. Winter soon found herself approaching the library, but paused when she made it to the door. It might have been a good idea to come up with some reason as to why she hadn't told Shade about the baby yet, hopefully reducing the amount of scolding she received from the princess. Unfortunately, Twilight would likely take no excuses, so why bother wasting time. Better to just rip the bandage right off. Winter knocked on the door. She didn't have to wait long to hear Twilight's voice beckoning to her guest to come inside. The pegasus opened the door and stepped inside. She was about to greet Twilight, but stopped short. The alicorn was sitting at the table in the foyer, as expected. However, what Winter hadn't expected were the two guests seated with her: a white unicorn with a well-styled and conditioned, purple mane, and an orange earth pony with a large stetson upon her blonde ponytail. Seeing Rarity and Applejack, Winter was about ready to just back out the door again. "Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you had—" Rarity stood up, walking over to Winter with a giddy grin. "There she is!" the unicorn squealed excitedly. Winter raised an eyebrow. She didn't like the sound of that. When she looked over at Twilight, she saw the alicorn with an embarrassed hoof on her head. The pegasus let out a groan. "Twilight, you told them?" "I'm sorry, it just kind of slipped out," Twilight apologized. Rarity grabbed Winter by the fetlock and ushered her over to the table, ignoring her obvious reluctance. "Come, dear. We have so much to talk about." "Darn tootin'," Applejack agreed with a chuckle. "And lemme just start off by sayin' congrats." "Um, thanks," Winter said in an uncomfortable tone as she and Rarity sat at the table. Rarity leaned against her fetlocks, staring at Winter with an eager smile. "So? How are you, darling?" The white unicorn's tone was not doing much to make her feel any more comfortable. "O-Okay, I guess." Rarity giggled amusedly. "Oh, I'd say more than just 'okay.' You're positively glowing, dear." Her deep blue eyes glanced down at Winter's abdomen. "It seems as though you're coming along nicely. That's quite a cute, little baby bump you have there." "Huh?" Winter looked down at her stomach. "Is it really that noticeable already?" "Oh, certainly. In Twilight's defense, I'm positive I would have figured it out rather quickly, even if she hadn't told me." "So how far along are ya anyhow?" Applejack inquired. "Oh, um, almost three months now, I think," Winter answered, the attention she was garnering causing her to blush a little. Rarity was confused by that response. "Really? Hmm... I would have guessed two at the most. Seems a tad small." Applejack, having noticed a nervous gulp from Winter, offered her thoughts. "Well, it's half changeling, right? They ain't quite as big as us ponies, or at least not as heavy. 'Sides, we don't really know much about baby changelings. This might be normal. Who's to say it'll even be eleven months before she has the baby?" "I suppose you have a point," Rarity conceded. "But that does raise an interesting question," Twilight added. "What exactly is this foal going to look like? Are changeling genes dominant or recessive?" "You think my baby might be just be a normal changeling?" Winter asked with a tinge of worry. Twilight simply shrugged. "It's a possibility, I guess. Whenever two people of different races—or species in this case—propagate, the resultant offspring will generally inherit traits from both parents, but typically one is more apparent. As an example, Mr. and Mrs. Cake are both earth ponies. However, their twins are a pegasus and a unicorn because those traits are present in their gene pool. So I feel there's no guarantee that your foal will even exhibit any changeling traits. Conversely, it also may not exhibit any pony traits." Applejack rolled her eyes at Twilight's long-winded explanation. "Basically, she's sayin' we'll just have to wait 'n' see." "Well, yeah, I suppose," the alicorn grumbled. "Just trying to educate a little." "Personally, I don't believe there's anything to worry about," Rarity said with a reassuring smile in Winter's direction. "The important thing right now is that you and Shade are happy and are taking this big step in your lives together." "Speakin' o' which, where is the baby daddy anyhow?" Applejack inquired. "Working?" Winter shied away slightly rubbing her foreleg in embarrassment. "Uh, no, he's got the day off today," she replied quietly. Twilight immediately took notice of Winter's body language and let out a frustrated groan. "Don't tell me you still haven't told him." Rarity and Applejack gave the pegasus shocked looks, causing Winter to shrink back a little in shame. "Um... No, I haven't." Rarity was appalled by this news. "Winter! You're almost three months pregnant and you haven't told Shade yet?! He's the father of your child! He has a right—" "I know!" Winter interrupted loudly. She took a breath to calm her nerves before attempting to explain herself. There really wasn't any point in trying to create excuses at this point. "I just haven't been able to work up the courage to tell him yet." "That's simply unacceptable," Rarity scolded. But before she could elaborate, Applejack interjected. "Now, hold up there, Rarity. An unplanned pregnancy can be a little hard on a couple. Ah think it's important that she get herself accustomed to this before droppin' it on Shade. It ain't gonna do anypony any good if the both of 'em are in a tizzy over this." Winter sighed, relieved that somepony was actually on her side. "Thank you, Applejack." "That bein' said," the earth pony continued, her tone a little more stern, "you should probably get around to it soon. It'd be better if you told him yerself before he finds out on his own." Winter sighed again, this time in reluctant acceptance. "Yeah. I know. And it's not easy either. I actually think he's starting to find me less attractive." "All the more reason for you to tell him," Rarity told her. "And if you promise that you'll do the right thing, then I suppose we needn't worry. Above all, we should be happy for you, and we are." Twilight and Applejack nodded in agreement. "Congratulations, darling." "Thanks. It is a little comforting knowing I have friends to support me—er, us. Oh, and, Rarity, please, please, please, don't mention this to Chamella. If she finds out, she'll definitely tell Shade." Rarity made a zipping motion over her mouth with her hoof. "My lips are sealed." At that moment, the library door swung open. And swinging in with it, performing a playful twirl as she entered, was a cheerful, pink earth pony, her poofy mane bouncing as she spun around. "Knock knock," Pinkie Pie chirped cheerily. She noticed then that Twilight had company. "Hey, are you throwing a party?" As the words left her mouth, her smiled curled into a fussy pout. "Wait, you're throwing a party without me?! How very dare you!" she yelled in exaggerated anger. Pinkie's outburst didn't really faze any of them. Rarity simply explained, "It's not a party, dear. Applejack and I just stopped by for a visit, and Winter only showed up not long ago." The pink pony's smile returned instantly, as if nothing had even happened. "Oh, okey dokey then." There was a brief moment of awkward silence as Pinkie just stood there, smiling. Twilight glanced around as she waited before clearing her throat. "Did you wanna join us, Pinkie?" the princess offered, gesturing to the table. Pinkie shook her head. "Oh, no, that's okay." "Then whadja come over for?" Applejack asked with a quirked eyebrow. "Oh, right!" Having been reminded of her purpose for coming over, Pinkie produced a book and held it out. "I came by to return this cookbook I borrowed from the library." "Cookbook? Pinkie, that was a year ago," said Twilight. "You're only just returning it now?" "Do I gotta pay late fees?" Pinkie asked. "Well... no." "Did you wanna use it?" "Uh, no. I'm not much of a cook." "Did you need it for anything?" "No, I..." Twilight let out a groan. "Nevermind. Just put it back on the shelf, please." "Righty-o!" Pinkie hopped over to one of the many bookshelves, inserting the book into it. She then turned back at Twilight who was giving her a look. Pinkie pulled the book back out, replacing it on the shelf below it before trotting over to the door. She stopped for a moment, though, her curiosity getting the better of her. "So whatchu girls talking about?" Twilight stood up, walking over to the bookshelf where Pinkie had placed the cookbook and swapping its place with the book next to it. "I thought you had to be somewhere." "Huh? I didn't say that. I just meant that I didn't come over for a visit. But my task is done now, sooooo... What's up?" "Well, we were just talking about how Winter's got a bun in the oven," Applejack revealed outright. The pegasus was shocked that she would just blurt it out like that. "Applejack!" Rarity glared at the stetson-wearing pony. "Very tactful," she commented sarcastically. Applejack shrugged as if she'd done nothing wrong. "What? We're all friends here, right? Ah'm sure it's fine." Pinkie glanced between the unicorn and the other earth pony in slight confusion. "What's the big deal? She's just baking a bun. Also, it's kinda inefficient to bake just one bun, Winter. You really should put in at least a half a dozen." "I don't think Winter could handle that many," Twilight giggled. Rarity stifled her laughter as well. "Yes, she appears to be have enough problems with just the one." Pinkie tilted her head. "Really? Well, if you want, I can come over and help you eat them." "Alright, Ah'm puttin' a stop to this bit," Applejack interrupted. "Pinkie, Winter's pregnant." Pinkie stopped to think about that for a moment before finally understanding. "Oooooooh, 'bun in the oven.' I get it now. Hee hee! That's funny." There was a moment of silence as the gears continued turning in the oblivious mare's head, but when she finally made the realization, her face changed instantly. "What?!" Her shock was quickly overpowered by sheer glee as she immediately bolted over to Winter's side, invading her personal space by placing a hoof on her stomach. "There's a baby in there?!" "Uh, y-yeah," Winter stammered awkwardly. Pinkie gasped loudly. "You know what this means, don't you?!" she bellowed, her enormous, toothy grin uncomfortably close to Winter's face. Pinkie threw her hooves in the air excitedly. "Baby shower!" Twilight seemed puzzled that that was the first place the pink mare had jumped. "You're not at all curious as to how this is possible?" Pinkie just scoffed with a sly smirk. "Oh, please, Twilight. I'm an adult, you know, and I took biology in school, too. Give me some credit." Twilight breathed a sigh. "Not exactly what I meant, but whatever." "But she does raise a good point," Rarity said. "We definitely need to plan a baby shower." Pinkie raised her hoof. "I'm your gal!" she volunteered eagerly. "Now, keep yer saddles on, girls," Applejack interjected. "We ain't havin' no baby shower 'til she tells Shade about this." "Oh, of course, but that doesn't mean we can't plan the shower," Rarity argued. Again, Pinkie raised her hoof. "I'm your gal!" "Yes, Pinkie, you've said that already," Twilight pointed out with a roll of her eyes. The pink pony crossed her forelegs with a huff. "Well, I need confirmation. I'm a professional party planner, and party stuff ain't exactly cheap. I got expenses to cover, ya know. So I can't do squat 'til Winter gives the go-ahead." Pinkie stared seriously at Winter, making the pegasus feel like she was being backed into a corner. "Okay, you can plan the baby shower," she told her, mostly just to get her off her back. Pinkie clapped her hooves gleefully. "Yay! This is gonna be so fun! I haven't planned a baby shower since Mrs. Cake was pregnant with the twins." "Speaking of celebration..." Rarity said coyly, leaning her chin on her fetlocks. "With a baby on the way, does that mean that you and Shade might tie the knot soon?" Once again, Pinkie shot her hoof up. "Oh! I can plan that, too!" Winter gawked at the unicorn's question. "Are you kidding? That's the last thing on my mind right now. We're going to have enough on our plate without having to prepare for a wedding." Pinkie flopped her head down onto the table in disappointment. "Aww..." Winter was starting to get a little frustrated with everypony trying to butt into her business. "Look, I appreciate all the advice and everything, but just let us handle this at our own pace, okay? We've got concerns of our own to worry about. The first of which is actually telling him about it," she sighed in shame. "You're worried that he's not gonna like this news?" Pinkie asked her, tenderly placing a hoof on her shoulder. Winter, as well as the other mares present, raised their eyebrows at Pinkie's surprising display of perception. "Uh, yeah." The pink mare gave Winter's shoulder a light pat. "I getcha. This is a pretty big deal. You gotta be delicate about how you tell him. But just remember: if you ever need anything..." Pinkie looked straight into the pegasus's eyes, offering a comforting smile. "Sugarcube Corner's the place to go for comfort food." Twilight groaned loudly. "Pinkie, seriously? I don't think this is an appropriate time for advertising." "Do you have any jelly donuts?" Winter asked curiously, causing Twilight to slap a hoof on her face. "Sure do!" Pinkie chirped. "Hey, why don't we go see if there's anything else you might want there? Maybe I can make you a special platter of mouthwatering morsels for mommies." Mouthwatering was the word, for sure. Just the thought of it made the pegasus lick her lips in anticipation. "Sure, that sounds great." "Awesome!" Pinkie ushered Winter to the door. "Later, girls!" "Thanks for being so understanding," Winter said to them as she and Pinkie exited the library. Applejack stared at the door in utter confusion. "The hay just happened?" Rarity sighed. "Pregnancy happened. She's going to have more problems than she even realizes." ***** ***** ***** The front door of the shared residence swung open, making way for the changeling who lived there to enter. Shade let out a sigh of relief as he closed the door behind him, scratching an itch on the back of his head. Having a couple of days off after all of his hard work was nice and all, but it suddenly didn't seem like much now that he was back at it. Thankfully, things weren't as hectic as they were before and his work load and hours had returned to normal. Still though, even just a couple of days off after all of that had spoiled him a little. But at least he was home now. And he had plenty of time to fix up something to eat and maybe head out and look for something to do. Perhaps he'd pay Chamella a visit. "Heurgh!" Shade halted just as he was about to enter the kitchen, the jarring sound surprising him. It sounded like it came from upstairs. Curiously and cautiously, Shade made his way upstairs, keeping his ears perked up in case he heard the sound again." "Bleugh!" There it was again. This time, Shade could tell exactly where it was coming from. He went straight for the bedroom, turning to the left once he got there. Sure enough, the bathroom door in the bedroom was closed, but light streamed through from underneath. Obviously, it must be Winter. Shade rapped on the door lightly. "Winter? That you?" "Oh, hey, Shade," Winter replied rather nonchalantly. She followed that up with the off-putting sound of her spitting. "Are... you okay? You sound sick." "No, no, I'm fine," she insisted, although the sound of the toilet flushing suggested otherwise. Shade heard the sound of the sink running, followed by Winter gargling mouthwash. A moment later, she stepped out with a smile on her face. Admittedly, she didn't really look sick. Had he not heard her vomiting, he wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong. "You sure?" Shade persisted. Winter waved off his concern. "Yeah, yeah, I, um... must've eaten something that was off. Yeah, that's probably it. Stomach cramps and all that. Don't worry, I think it's out of my system now." "Alright, if you say so," Shade conceded, though still a bit skeptical. As the pair made their way back downstairs to get themselves prepared for supper, there was a knock on the front door. Immediately, an eager smile graced Winter's lips and she bounded over to the door with a spring in her step. She must have been expecting company, Shade thought. Winter threw the door open, her own smiling face being greeted by another, surrounded by shades of pink. Pinkie Pie wasn't exactly somepony they interacted with on a regular basis, usually only when they went to Sugarcube Corner for a sugary snack, or if she happened to bump into them at random. She still sent Shade and Winter cards on certain holidays, or invites to parties, but then again, she did so for everypony else in Ponyville, as well. Perhaps Winter was simply closer to her than Shade was. Odd considering she's never been invited over for a visit and has never actually come to visit of her own accord either. "Hi, Pinkie Pie," Winter greeted with enthusiasm, her voiced filled with eager anticipation. "Good evening, Winter." She turned to Shade, tipping her non-existent hat to him. "And to you, Shade." "Hi," Shade greeted with a half-hearted wave of his hole-riddled hoof. Winter peered over the other mare's shoulder. It appeared that Pinkie may not have come by for a casual visit. Behind her was what looked like a metal serving trolley. "Is that the stuff?" Winter asked, her smile persisting. Pinkie spun around, grabbing the trolley and pulling it inside. It was loaded up with a wide assortment of desserts and pastries. "I got chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles, lemon meringue pie, chocolate fudge brownies, jelly donuts with cherry filling, and the pièce de résistance..." She gestured to the eye-catching cake in the very center of everything else. "...a strawberry shortcake." Winter had to lick the drool from her lips as her amber eyes stared hungrily at the spread. Shade raised an eyebrow at her peculiar behavior. The pegasus managed to tear her eyes away from the sweet smörgåsbord. "So what do I owe you?" she asked the pink pony. Pinkie shook her head. "Don't you worry. This one's on me. After all, you are a fellow 'baker,' wink wink," she said without actually winking. Winter glanced in Shade's direction for a moment with a slight blush. The changeling certainly looked confused, but not really suspicious. "Um, thanks, Pinkie. It all looks great." Pinkie gave a friendly salute. "Cool. Then I'll be off. Just don't forget to bring the trolley back. Enjoyyyyyy," she sang as she walked backwards out the door. Interestingly, Shade could have sworn she winked at him as she shut the door behind her. Now that their visitor was gone, Shade finally decided it was time to inquire. "What's with all this stuff, Winter?" "Oh, I just ordered a few things from Sugarcube Corner. I don't know why, but I've just been craving something sweet lately." That was putting it lightly, the changeling thought. There were enough snacks on the trolley to feed at least fifteen people. "You're going to eat all of that yourself?" "Of course not," Winter laughed. "You can have some if you want." Shade shrugged. It did look pretty tasty. And it was free, so what was the harm? Shade reached out to sample a brownie, but just as he was about to pick it up, he felt winter's hoof slap his. "Ow!" "Not those. Those are mine." Shade rubbed his stinging hoof with a scowl, deciding instead to go for a cookie, only to receive another sudden smack. "Not those either." Shade wasn't sure he wanted to chance another go, but despite her repeated denials, Winter still smiled hospitably. Against his better judgment, the changeling started towards the cupcakes, keeping his eye on Winter as he did so. And, as expected, just as he was about to grab one, Winter acted. Though instead of slapping him again, she simply pulled the entire trolley out of his reach. "Um, tell you what, you can have what's left, 'kay?" She pulled the whole thing into the kitchen, sitting down at the table and helping herself to the gifted confections. Well, so much for supper, Shade thought with an internal sigh. Now that he thought about it, Winter had been acting rather strangely lately. This wasn't even this first time he'd observed her exhibiting weird eating habits. She'd been trying to practice cooking a lot more as of late, too, and eating larger portions during meals. All in all, she was just eating more lately. And suddenly, things began making sense. "Hey, Winter," Shade called out to her. Winter glanced out from the kitchen with a mouthful of brownie, lips smeared with chocolate. "I'm going to head out for awhile, okay? I'll be back later," he said as he inched toward the door. Winter smiled through her chocolate-packed cheeks. "Okay. Shee you later, shweetie," she said as she waved goodbye. ***** ***** ***** "What do you think, darling?" Rarity asked as she looked over her latest piece. The piece in question was a deep purple, sequined dress with white accents, currently being worn by Rarity's only employee and the second of the two changelings living in Ponyville. It sparkled so brightly under the lights of Carousel Boutique that it was practically blinding. Chamella had to squint as she looked in the mirror, barely able to see herself between the bright sparkles reflecting back at her and her own long, purple mane hanging down over her face. "Um, it's a bit much, don't you think?" Chamella commented quietly, still trying to see herself properly, but struggling. Rarity hummed in thought. "How so?" "Well, isn't the point of a nice dress to be eye-catching? That'll be kinda difficult if people can't actually see it." The unicorn took a look around the boutique. The whole place was speckled with the reflected light of the sequins, making the building look somewhat like a discotheque. "You may have a point," she conceded. "Very well. Take it off and I'll modify it." As Chamella slipped out of the dress, there was a knock on the front door before it opened, revealing the changeling's closest friend. "Hello?" Shade called out. "Oh, good evening. Come on in, dear," Rarity greeted with an inviting smile. Shade stepped inside, but immediately had to shield his eyes from the onslaught of flickering lights. "Agh! What is that?" Chamella tried to see through the veil of light. "Shade? Is that you?" Rarity rolled her eyes in a huff, snatching the dress away from Chamella. "Oh, for heaven's sake, now you're just being overly dramatic." With eyesight restored, Chamella could clearly make out the face of her best friend. She shot him a friendly smile. "Hi, Shade." "Hey, Chamella," Shade greeted back. It was clear in his tone and expression that he had come over for a purpose rather than just a visit. Rarity picked up on this as she put the dress into a trunk to be dealt with later. "Did you need something, dear?" "Yeah, actually. Advice." "Oh, well, I have that in droves," the fashionista giggled. "In regards to what exactly?" "Winter," he stated simply. Rarity's ears perked up, a knowing smile appearing on her face. "Oh? Relationship advice?" she said, a touch of coyness in her voice. "Uh, kind of. Have you noticed anything... different about her lately?" Rarity nodded with a relieved sigh. "As a matter of fact, I have." Shade was surprised to hear that. "Really?" "Yes, it's actually fairly obvious when you look closely. I take it she's told you?" The changeling shook his head. "No, I just kind of picked up on it. I've noticed she's had some strange eating habits lately, and she's definitely heavier than she used to be." Rarity placed a hoof on her forehead, shaking her head in disappointment. "Oh, I warned her this would happen." Shade raised an eyebrow. "She talked to you about it?" The unicorn nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid so. She was just nervous about bringing it up to you. She wasn't sure how you'd react." Shade turned his eyes away slightly. "Oh. Well, I guess I can understand that." Rarity placed a hoof on his shoulder, giving him a soft smile. "You came to me for advice, yes? Well, here's my advice: be there for her. She needs you now more than ever. Talk to her and let her know how much you support her." Shade was confused by that. "What? Support? I can't support this." The unicorn was taken aback, absolutely flabbergasted to hear him say that. "What?! Why not?! You love her, don't you?" "Of course I do. Which is exactly why I can't let her do this to herself. I'm worried about her." "Shade, you can't be serious," Rarity scolded with a scowl. "I thought we were better than that. How could you say such a thing?" Chamella raised her hoof to interject. "Um... What exactly are you talking about, Shade? What's wrong with Winter?" "I'm not entirely sure, but I know that her diet lately hasn't been very good. I'm worried that she might be endangering her health." Rarity's eyes widened in sudden realization. "Wait, you think she's been overeating?" Shade nodded. "Yeah. She's at home chowing down on a platter of desserts she ordered from Sugarcube Corner as we speak. That's not healthy, right?" "Oooooh, is that what this is about?" Rarity couldn't help but laugh at the whole misunderstanding. Shade was vexed by Rarity's reaction. "How's this funny? I'm concerned for her. Hold on, what did you think I was talking about?" "Hm?" Rarity held a hoof over her mouth before she said something she might regret. "Oh, er... Nothing. I must've just misunderstood the situation, that's all." She waved it off dismissively. "You have nothing to be concerned about." Shade blinked, unable to understand how she came to that conclusion. "How do you know that? There's got to be a reason why she's acting this way. I'm really worried about her. Earlier she was throwing up. That's not good, is it?" "You still want advice?" "Yes, please," Shade said, his rising aggravation with the unicorn noticeable. "Well then... Hmm..." Rarity tapped her chin in thought. She glanced up into his eyes for a moment. As much as she wanted to be honest with him, it really wasn't her place to reveal that information to him. She needed to fabricate something. "Overeating can sometimes be a... coping mechanism when dealing with stress." "Stress?" Shade echoed. "What stress? What could be stressing her out?" Rarity scratched her head, a little annoyed at how persistent he was being about this. "That's hard to tell. Perhaps it's work? I know when I'm bogged down with orders, I sometimes pour my pent up emotions into a tub of ice cream." Shade thought about that for a moment. "So she might be having problems at work. Okay, thanks, Rarity." He then started back to the door. Rarity reached out to him in a panic. "Wait! Where are you going now?" "I'm gonna have a word with Rainbow Dash," was all he said. "But—" But before Rarity could continue, he was already gone, the door shutting behind him. She let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh, dear." "Uh, I'm a little confused," Chamella said, scratching her head. Rarity stared off in Shade's general direction with a shake of her head. "Trust me, dear, you won't be the only one." ***** ***** ***** The sun above beamed down upon all of Ponyville, bathing the small town in its warming light. Despite the fact that the day was gradually coming to its end, the sky was still as bright as it's been since noon, making for a beautiful spring day. For Ponyville's resident weather manager, it was a perfect day for lounging and catching a few Z's on a soft, fluffy cloud. Rainbow Dash inhaled deeply in her half sleep, still conscience and aware, but just beginning to nod off. This was always one of her favorite ways to cap off a busy work day of clearing out clouds, but she always made sure to keep a few around for just such a purpose. Sometimes she even really pitied the earth ponies and unicorns stuck on the ground who couldn't know this sort of comfort. Dash finally let out that deep breath, ready for sleep to envelope her wholly. "Hey! Rainbow Dash!" The ear of the cyan pegasus twitched, her face curling into an annoyed grimace even though her eyes were closed. She was tempted to ignore the call and attempt to achieve sleep in spite of it, but the warm sunlight that had been beaming down on her was obscured, leaving her lying in the shadows all of a sudden, not to mention the incessant sound of buzzing. She groaned in irritation as she reluctantly cracked one eye open. Flittering in front of her she saw a rather distinct silhouette hovering in front of the sun. Whether it was the thin, translucent wings that buzzed like a bee's, or the fact that the sunlight streamed through the holes in his legs, there was no mistaking that it was a changeling. Shade, to be specific, as his voice had tipped her offed. Rainbow Dash let out a defeated sigh. There wasn't much point in being cross with him for disturbing her rest. She may have been one of the first people the changeling had met when he first arrived in Ponyville, but they weren't really too familiar with one another. Although, they did share a connection via his girlfriend and her co-worker. "What's up, Shade?" she asked, sounding a little lethargic, though not irate. "We need to talk," Shade stated simply. He attempted to land on an adjacent cloud so he could speak with her without having to talk over the rather loud buzzing of his wings. However, his hooves sunk straight through the fluffy cumulus, forcing him to quickly correct himself in the air and remember that having wings doesn't necessarily give him the ability to stand on clouds. With a laborious effort, Rainbow Dash sat up, scratching her head. "Yeah? Well, go ahead, shoot." "I need you to ease up on Winter." Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Ease up? The hay are you talking about?" Shade stared at her rather sternly. "Look, there's no point pretending you're a perfect boss..." Dash pulled back slightly at the insult. "Excuse me?" "...and I know you've been giving Winter a hard time recently. But for the sake of her health, I'm asking that you go easy on her, okay?" The pegasus rubbed her forehead, finding it difficult to deal with her sleepiness and these accusations all at once. "Alright, I don't know what she's been telling you, but I have not been hard on her lately. At least, no more than usual. If anything, I should be giving her some flak. She's really been slacking lately. Just yesterday I told her to clear the storm clouds that were still lingering around downtown, but by the end of the day she'd hardly cleared up half of 'em." "And you didn't yell at her about it or anything?" Shade asked. Rainbow Dash plopped back onto her cloud again with her hooves behind her head. "I mean, I gave her a talking to about it, but it's not like I yelled at her or anything. I just figured she was having an off day. Can't say that's never happened to me before." The changeling stared at her skeptically. "You didn't get mad at all? I find that hard to believe. Winter's been pretty stressed lately, and she's trying to burying that stress in food." "So you're blaming me for your girlfriend getting fat? Real nice," she groaned sarcastically. "Well, I can't think of any other reason why she'd be so stressed out." "Have you tried, I don't know, asking her?" "What am I supposed to say? 'Hey, Winter, I noticed you've been gaining weight lately.' Do you think she wants to hear that from her boyfriend?" Rainbow Dash simply shrugged. "Sounds like your problem. If you're really that worried about her, maybe you should just tell her. If she's gonna listen to anypony, I'd think it'd be you." Shade was prepared to retort, but stopped to think about that for a moment. Maybe Rainbow Dash had a point. He'd been so fixated on asking other people for help that he never stopped to actually consider just talking about it with Winter. "Maybe you're right. Yeah, okay. Thanks, Rainbow Dash." The pegasus watched as Shade flew off suddenly. She lay there in silence for a few seconds as she stared up into the sky that was gradually shifting from blue to orange. "Did I just give somepony relationship advice? Huh. Guess there's a first time for everything." ***** ***** ***** Shade shoved the front door open, trotting into his home with a determinate gait. Winter was still in the kitchen, and he was a little disappointed to see that she was still stuffing her face. In fact, the trolley that Pinkie Pie had brought over was looking shockingly barren, with only a few of each snack left on the plates. At the very least, only one slice had been taken out of the strawberry shortcake, which was currently lodged in the mouth of the gluttonous pegasus at the table. "'Om' aw'eamy?" Winter mumbled, her words garbled by the large mouthful of cake. She swallowed the pastry and wiped the icing from her lips and cheeks, freeing up her mouth to actually speak intelligibly. "That was quick. Where'd you go?" "Winter, I want to talk to you about something. It's important." He gestured her into the living room. The pegasus hesitated for a moment. Something about his tone and his expression, that stern determination, had her a little worried. She stood slowly from the table, following him into the living room. He then gestured for her to sit on the couch, and she complied. Then she simply sat there, waiting in silence for him to speak. His eyes were closed and he breathed a deep sigh, clearly trying to formulate in his mind exactly what he wanted to say to her. Winter didn't have a good feeling about this. She could feel her stomach knotting tighter the longer this silence continued, until he finally spoke. Shade opened his eyes, his emerald irises and slotted pupils carrying the same tenderness and care Winter had come to associate with his gaze, but at the same time accompanied by concern. "I think I know what's been going on with you, Winter." Winter's ears folded back, a sense of dread falling over her. "Y-You do?" Shade nodded, but at the same time, looked uncertain. "Well, I don't know what the exact problem is, but I've definitely noticed the effect it's had on you." Winter lowered her head, overcome with the shame and regret that she hadn't taken Twilight and Rarity's advice. "The eating, the vomiting, and the... well, to be blunt, the extra weight. I'm just upset that I didn't find out sooner." Winter had to fight back the urge to cry, mentally kicking herself for putting Shade through this. "Shade, I'm so sorry. I should've told you sooner, I know, but I... I just didn't know how'd you react." Shade breathed another sigh. "It's okay, Winter. I fully understand why you would be so reluctant to say anything about this." Just that one sentence did wonders for the pegasus. Hearing him say that was like having an enormous weight lifted from her shoulders. A small, shaky smile managed its way onto her lips. "Shade..." The changeling tenderly placed a hoof against her cheek, and Winter's eyes began to well up from the joy she felt that he wasn't angry or scared. He spoke softly and compassionately to her. "I just want you to know that, no matter what happens, I'm going to be here to help you through this." Winter raised a white hoof, placing it gently upon the black one caressing her cheek. "I'm going to help you get back on a normal, healthy diet and help you get that extra weight off." The pegasus blinked uncomprehendingly, unsure if she had just heard him right. "Wait, what?" Shade pulled back, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Now, first of all, I need you to tell me why exactly you've been turning to food for comfort. Once we get whatever's stressing you out cleared up, we can work on fixing up your diet and maybe even start an exercise routine together. Not that I don't think you're beautiful regardless—I'd love you if you weighed a thousand pounds—but I'm just worried about your health is all." Winter stared at him incredulously. She simply couldn't believe what she was hearing right now. "Shade, I'm not fat." "Winter, you don't have to deny it any more. I want to help you." Winter stood up from the couch. Now she was just feeling insulted. "Listen, Shade, I am not getting fat." "You're just making this more difficult, Winter. Just tell me what the problem is and we can deal with it together." "There is no problem!" Winter argued, becoming increasingly agitated. "I'm not stressed out and I'm not getting fat!" "Winter, please! Don't keep doing this to yourself!" Shade pleaded. "I'm only trying to help you, so just tell me why you're doing this!" "I'm pregnant!" And the house was suddenly filled with a thick silence. Both of them stood there, staring at one another. Shade, confused and bewildered, not quite certain if he had heard that correctly, and Winter, cheeks red and eyes wide at the realization of what she had just inadvertently blurted out. Shade was the first to break the uncomfortable silence. "...What?" Winter remained quiet, staring at Shade's expression, looking for anything that might suggest that she had simply imagined that she'd said that. But everything about his face told her that she had said it. It had finally happened. She didn't even mean for it to happen, it just came out. And so that was it; the cat was out of the bag. No point in pretending anymore. Winter inhaled deeply, coming to terms with the fact that Shade now knew the truth. All that was left now was to wait for his reaction. "I'm pregnant," she repeated more calmly. Shade's reaction was much the same the second time, falling silent and trying to comprehend what he was hearing. Winter tilted her head, concerned and confused about exactly how Shade was feeling right now. "Shade?" "That's what this was all about?" he asked quietly. Winter rubbed her foreleg bashfully, breaking eye contact for the first time in minutes. "Well, yeah." Shade thought back, remembering everything about the changes in Winter's behavior. "You've been like this for a while now, right? How long have you known about this?" Winter was starting to feel ashamed of herself again, shrinking back slightly and lowering her head. "Um... A few months..." she practically whispered. Shade was taken aback by this information, his jaw dropping in shock. "A few months?! You've known about this for that long and didn't mention it to me?!" "I was scared, okay!" Winter shot back, her eyes once again on the verge of tears. "You were only just starting to get used to your life here! I was afraid something like this would be putting too much pressure on you and you might..." She turned away, her voice growing quiet again. "...leave me." She felt Shade's hoof under her chin, turning her head back so that their eyes met again. "How could you think that?" He said, his voice sounding of hurt. "You of all people should know how miserable life was back in the Changeling Kingdom. I never want to go back there, and I'm hurt that you think I'd prefer that over this. You should have just told me." Winter's lips quivered, a shameful tear running down her cheek. "Shade, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I was just too scared. Please forgive me." "Winter, I love you more than anything. You were the one who made me realize that love was more than just a source of power; it was a reason to keep living. I thought that you'd have more faith in me." He grabbed her hoof, holding it to his chest. "I meant what I said before: I will love you no matter what, and I will never leave your side. It's just upsetting that you wouldn't tell me." Winter shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes and staring at him with resolute, amber eyes. "But that doesn't matter anymore, Shade!" The changeling was surprised by the sudden shift Winter's attitude. She grabbed hold of both of Shade's hooves, a loving and excited smile on her face. "We're gonna have a baby, Shade. Don't you get that? I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but the important thing is that you know now. What is important is that I know you're there for me, because we're going to be parents." Shade took a moment to process that. He had been so concerned about why Winter had neglected to tell him about it that he hadn't put much thought into just what this meant for the two of them. But now that it had dawned on him, he found himself smiling as well. "We are. We're actually having a baby. This isn't some joke, right? This is actually happening?" Winter nodded, barely able to contain her joy. She surprised even herself with how excited she suddenly was considering how much this had been tormenting her for the past few months. But now that she knew for certain that Shade was going to be there for her, she found it much easier to accept. In fact, she had been so wracked with worry, it was finally starting to hit her now just how big a deal this was. "It is! We're having a baby! I can't believe it!" Winter threw her hooves around Shade, holding him tight and nuzzling into his neck, overwhelmed with pure joy. Shade happily returned the hug, relishing every moment of it. But unbeknownst to the pegasus, the changeling, while overjoyed by this news, had some concerns of his own...